Releasable ski binding

ABSTRACT

Releasable ski binding as applied to the front jaw unit of a ski binding, a pair of centrally pivoted, spring loaded, levers are held normally parallel to the direction of travel of the ski and cam followers in the end of said levers tend to hold the jaw in normal boot engaging position. Sideward thrust on the boot first tends to translate the jaw sidewardly against the spring pressure applied to said levers and if said sideward thrust is sufficient it tends to rotate the jaw against said spring pressure. The levers each engage the jaw at each of their respective ends in such a manner that they tend to move from the above-mentioned mutually parallel position into a position converging rearwardly with respect to the direction of travel of the ski and form an acute angle with respect to the center line of the ski.

United States Patent 1 91 1111 3,801,1 18

Droz Apr. 2, 1974 RELEASABLE SKI BINDING Primary Examiner-Robert R. Song [75] Inventor: Francois Droz, La chaux de ponds Attorney, Agent, or Frrm-Woodhams, Blanchard &

Switzerland Flynn [73] Assignee: Gertsch AG, Zurich, Switzerland 5 ABSTRACT [22] Filed: June 5, 1972 Releasable ski binding as a lied to the front 'aw unit f k' b' d' t ll d o a s 1 1n mg, a pan 0 centra y pivote sprmg [21] Appl' 259590 loaded, levers are held normally parallel to the direction of travel of the ski and cam followers in the end [30] Foreign Application Priority Data of said levers tend to hold the jaw in normal boot en- June 10, 1971 Switzerland 8593/71 gaging Position Sideward thrust on the boot first tends to translate the jaw sidewardly against the spring pres- 52 U.S. c1 280/1135 T Sure pp to Said levers and if Said Sideward thrust 51 Int. Cl. A63c 9/08 is Sufficient it tends to rotate the j against said 58 Field of Search 280/1135 T, 11.35 M Spring pressure- The levers each engage the jaw at each of their respective ends in such a manner that 5 References Cited they tend to move from the above-mentioned mutually UNITED STATES PATENTS parallel position into a position converging rearwardly with respect to the direction of travel of the ski and k 2i: 1 form an acute angle with respect to the center line of 3:288:476 11/1966 Ramillon 280/1135 T the 8 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures RELEASABLE SKI BINDING The invention relates to a releasable ski binding provided with a jaw portion having means for engaging the sole of a ski boot, said jaw portion being supported for movement relative to a base plate from an operating position into a release position and vice versa, and said ski binding being further provided with a resilient holding mechanism which holds the jaw portion in the operating position and which upon occurrence of excessive loads releases it for movement into the release position.

The holding mechanism of known releasable ski bindings of this type consists as a rule of a springloaded ball-locking device. The short locking paths which occur in such apparatus do not permit a reliable adjustment of the spring characteristic through the release path to the desired release conditions. In the known ski bindings of this type, the jaw portion is supported separate from the holding mechanism and is guided during its release movement. In the case of the purely rotatably supported jaw portions, a separate pivot bearing is required for same; in the case of the pivotably and translatably supported jaw portions which have been preferred recently, separate and additional guide parts are required.

The basic purpose of the invention is to produce a releasable ski binding of the type described above in which by a compact and simple type of construction there is obtained a long spring deflection between operating or normal position of use and release position and the holding mechanism takes over a part of the guide function for the jaw portion, whereby the jaw portion, particularly after the release of the boot, is returned automatically into the operating position.

This purpose is attained according to the invention by providing for the holding mechanism a pair of double-arm rocking levers which are supported rotatably on the base plate and which are loaded by a spring force against the direction of pivoting, by pivotally and translatably connecting the first rocking lever arms to the jaw portion and with respect to each other, and by abutting the second rocking lever arms against stops when in the operating position and doing so in response to resilient means which are connected to the jaw portion.

In the case of the inventive releasable ski binding, the jaw portion is held in its operating position by a pair of rocking levers which can be rotated with respect to one another. The release takes place by rotating the twoarm rocking lever in opposite directions, whereby the pivoting-translating connection between the first rocking lever arms and the jaw portion in connection with the contact between one of the second rocking lever arms and the associated stop on the jaw portion assures proper guidance thereof. Since the rocking lever movement can extend over a long path, the spring characteristic can be adjusted very accurately to any actual set of requirements. Thus, the releasable ski binding can be so elastic that it reliably holds the boot during nondangerous impacts and returns it into its central position. Additional bearing or guide parts for the jaw portion are not needed if, as preferably provided, the jaw portion on its path of travel from the operating or normal position of use into the release position is first transversely moved and only then pivoted. The rocking lever system then returns the jaw portion after a release automatically into the operating or nonnal position of use.

One exemplary embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top view of a front jaw embodying the invention and taken on the section indicated by the lines II in FIG. 5.

FIG. 1A is similar to FIG. 1 but shows the binding in the position assumed in response to a light load thereon which does not release the ski boot.

FIG. 2 is an illustration corresponding to FIG. 1 which illustrates the movement in response to a heavier load thereon and which releases the ski boot..

FIG. 3 is a perspective illustration of one of the rocking levers.

FIG. 4 is a section taken on the line IVIV of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a section taken on the line V-V of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a section taken on the line VI-VI of FIG. 1.

The drawing illustrates a releasable front jaw of a ski binding which is mounted by a base plate B on a ski S and which together with one of the usual heel holders or heel tension cables is a complete releasable ski binding. The invention can, however, of course also be used through a suitable modification as a heel holder.

The front jaw embodying the invention has a jaw member 1 with a sole holder which consists of two sole holder wings 2. The jaw contains a substantially U- shaped recess 3 into which extends a projection or boss 1a having side surfaces lb, same so extending from the side opposite the sole holder 2.

Said recess 3 is provided in the forward (taken in the direction of normal movement of the ski) end of the jaw member 1, same being nearly the full width of said jaw member but being in this embodiment longitudinally stepped by a portion 3a thereof to provide a surface ld thereon. The surface 1d is coplanar with the upper surface 1e of the boss la.

Pivot pins 4 are pivotally positioned in base plate B in register with the recess 3. Double-arm rocking levers 5 are supported on pins 4 for pivotal movement therewith, each of which rocking levers has one arm 5a which is directed toward the sole holder 2 and one arm 5b which is directed away from the sole holder. The arms 5b abut by their respective stop pins 6 the side surfaces of the boss la, which side surfaces thus form a stop for said arms when the front jaw is in the operating or normal position of use according to FIG. 1. Followers 7 in the form of rollers are supported on the ends of the rocking lever arms 5a. The followers 7 engage guide slots 8 which are provided in a central transverse portion lc of the jaw portion 1. Each guide slot 8 has a substantially flat channel shape and consists of a substantially arcuate first section 8a and a rectilinear second section 8b. When the front jaw is in the operating or the normal position of use, the arcuately shaped sections 8a extend substantially transversely to the lo'ngitudinal direction of the ski, while the rectilinear sections 8b converge in rearward direction at an acute angle to the center line of the ski.

A pressure spring 9 is arranged between cups 13 (FIG. 3) of the rocking lever arms 50. Thus, the pressure of said spring urges the rocking lever arms 5a apart so that the rocking levers 5 tend to rotate oppositely about their axes of rotation 4.

The jaw portion 1 is supported and guided in a conventional manner for free movement, both translatably and rotatably, in all directions on the base plate B. In this embodiment, such mounting is provided by placing a plate I l on the surfaces 1d and 1e and fixing same to the base plate by the posts 12 and 13. The jaw member 1 thus can slide longitudinally, transversely and pivotally between said plate 11 and the upper surface of the base B within the limits of, and guided by, the rollers 7 in the grooves B.

The ski boot is released from the front jaw of the invention in the following manner:

If, for example, a load occurs on the leg of the skier, which load tends to move or swing the front end of the boot laterally to the left, the jaw portion 1 can yield to this load without releasing the boot. It first shifts sub stantially sidewardly to the left and the jaw portion 1 arrives in the position which is illustrated in FIG. 1A. The left rocking lever is here, due to the pressure of the left side surface 1b of the projection 1a against the leftward stop pin 6, rotated counterclockwise about its axis of rotation 4 and causes its follower 7 to move in the arcuately shaped section 8a of the left (in the drawing, lower) guide slot 8. The right rocking lever 5 (seen in direction of travel) is moved in response to engagement of the rightward (upper) guide member 7 with the outer end of the arcuately shaped section 8a of the right (in the drawing, upper) guide slot 8 and rotates in clockwise direction about its axis 4. In this manner, the stop pin 6 of the right rocking lever lifts off from the rightward side surface lb. The rocking levers thus come from the parallel position which they assume during their normal operating condition into a position in which they converge with their arms 5a. In order for said levers to effect this movement, the pressure of the spring 9 must be overcome which thus resists the transverse shifting of the jaw portion 1. I

If the load on the skiers leg is only of limited amount so that the shifting of the jaw portion 1 is limited to a movement of the one follower 7 over the associated circularly shaped section 8b of its guide slot 8, then the ski boot is returned elastically into the operating position by the force of the spring 9. Thus nondangerous lateral impacts are absorbed but the boot is not released.

If, however, the load reaches a magnitude which is dangerous for the skier, then the jaw portion 1 continues in a pivoting-translating movement against the resistance of spring 9 until the jaw portion, in the case of a release movement to the left, assumes the position illustrated in full lines in FIG. 2, in which position it releases the front end of the ski boot. ln'attaining this position the follower 7 of the left rocking lever 5 slides first the full length of part 8a of slot 8 and then slides in the rectilinear section 8b of the associated guide slot 8'. Thus, the jaw portion 1 can move first translatably leftwardly and then pivotally forwardly on the left side, whereby it rotates simultaneously. about the follower of the right rocking lever, which follower is held in the outer end of the other guide slot. The jaw portion 1 thus withdraws to the side and to the front which effects release of the front end of the boot.

After the boot is released, the pressure spring 9 acts through the rocking lever 5 to automatically return the jaw portion 1 into the position shown in FIG. 1.

A rightwardly directed force releases the ski boot by a procedure in mirror image to that above described.

The invention is not limited to the illustrated exemplary embodiment. The force of the pressure spring 9 can be changed by any convenient adjusting means not illustrated. For this purpose the pressure spring 9 would have to be constructed in two parts and an oppositely adjustable abutment would have to be inserted in its center. In place of a pressure spring it is of course also possible to use a tension spring which tends to pull together the lever arms 5b. It is also possible for separate tension springs to engage the arms 50 from the outside. Furthermore several operational modifications are conceivable, for example, moving the stops for the rocking levers outwardly and the guide slots correspondingly outwardly. It is also possible to move the guide slots forwardly and the stops backwardly. It is only important that the rocking levers hold the jaw portion, which otherwise is freely movable on its base plate, clamped in the central position and guide it-movably and swingably, whereby during this movement the rocking levers are moved against spring force into a position in which their rearwardly projecting arms converge. It is of course also possible to provide any stop pins or noses on the jaw portion which pins or noses cooperate with the arms of the rocking levers. Finally it is also possible to modify the guide slots and the followers.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

l. A front jaw for releasable ski bindings, comprising: means defining a base secured to a ski having a tip end;

means defining a jaw having sole holding means symmetrically positioned on opposite sides of a line of symmetry parallel to the longitudinal axis of said ski;

support means for movably securing said jaw means to said base means for movement in a horizontal plane;

guide means for guiding the movement of said jaw means in a predetermined path in said horizontal plane between a normal position of use and an intermediate laterally shifted position and between said intermediate position and a ski boot releasing position, said guide means including:

a. means defining a pair of guide slots;

b. a pair of two arm levers pivotally secured to said base means about separate, vertical axes laterally spacedly by symmetrically positioned relative to said longitudinal line of symmetry, both arms of each or said pair of levers having stop means thereon, one of said stop means on each of said levers being adapted to be received in separate ones of said pair of guide slots, the other of said stop means being adapted to engageabutment means on said jaw means, both of said other stop means engaging'said abutment means when said jaw means is in said normal position of use; and

resilient means engaging and extending between said pair of two arm levers to normally maintain said other stop means in engagement with said abutment means and normally maintain said jaw means in said normal position of use, said resilient means urging, through at least one of said one stop means on said lever means, said jaw means toward said normal position of use when said jaw means is between said normal position of use and said intermediate position of use, said guide means also effecting a guided movement of said jaw means laterally of said line of symmetry and forwardly on said base means toward said tip end and away from the sole of a ski boot when said jaw means is moving laterally away from said line of symmetry between said intermediate position toward said ski boot releasing position.

2. A front jaw according to claim 1, wherein said guide slots each has a pair of sections, one of said sections extending approximately perpendicular to said line of symmetry, the other of said sections extending at an acute angle to said line of symmetry.

3. A front jaw according to claim 2, wherein said abutment means define a pair of parallel surfaces extending parallel to said line of symmetry.

4. A front jaw according to claim 2, wherein said one section is are shaped, the radius of said are being equal to the spacing between said one stop means and the pivot axes of said two arm levers.

5. A front jaw according to claim 4, wherein said guide slots are provided on said jaw means and said pivot axes are mounted on said base means.

6. A front jaw according to claim 5, wherein said abutment means define a pair of parallel surfaces extending parallel to said line of symmetry; and

wherein each of said other stop means are adapted to engage a separate one of said parallel surfaces.

7. A front jaw according to claim 6, wherein said jaw means includes means defining a recess therein, said abutment means projecting into said recess means at the forward end of said jaw means.

8. A front jaw according to claim 7, wherein said resilient means engages said lever means adjacent one stop means. 

1. A front jaw for releasable ski bindings, comprising: means defining a base secured to a ski having a tip end; means defining a jaw having sole holding means symmetrically positioned on opposite sides of a line of symmetry parallel to the longitudinal axis of said ski; support means for movably securing said jaw means to said base means for movement in a horizontal plane; guide means for guiding the movement of said jaw means in a predetermined path in said horizontal plane between a normal position of use and an intermediate laterally shifted position and between said intermediate position and a ski boot releasing position, said guide means including: a. means defining a pair of guide slots; b. a pair of two arm levers pivotally secured to said base means about separate, vertical axes laterally spacedly by symmetrically positioned relative to said longitudinal line of symmetry, both arms of each of said pair of levers having stop means thereon, one of said stop means on each of said levers being adapted to be received in separate ones of said pair of guide slots, the other of said stop means being adapted to engage abutment means on said jaw means, both of said other stop means engaging said abutment means when said jaw means is in said normal position of use; and c. resilient means engaging and extending between said pair of two arm levers to normally maintain said other stop means in engagement with said abutment means and normally maintain said jaw means in said normal position of use, said resilient means urging, through at least one of said one stop means on said lever means, said jaw means toward said normal position of use when said jaw means is between said normal position of use and said intermediate position of use, said guide means also effecting a guided movement of said jaw means laterally of said line of symmetry and forwardly on said base means toward said tip end and away from the sole of a ski boot when said jaw means is moving laterally away from said line of symmetry between said intermediate position toward said ski boot releasing position.
 2. A front jaw according to claim 1, wherein said guide slots each has a pair of sections, one of said sections extending approximately perpendicular to said line of symmetry, the other of said sections extending at an acute angle to said line of symmetry.
 3. A front jaw according to claim 2, wherein said abutment means define a pair of parallel surfaces extending parallel to said line of symmetry.
 4. A front jaw according to claim 2, wherein said one section is arc shaped, the radius of said arc being equal to the spacing between said one stop means and the pivot axes of said two arm levers.
 5. A front jaw according to claim 4, wherein said guide slots are provided On said jaw means and said pivot axes are mounted on said base means.
 6. A front jaw according to claim 5, wherein said abutment means define a pair of parallel surfaces extending parallel to said line of symmetry; and wherein each of said other stop means are adapted to engage a separate one of said parallel surfaces.
 7. A front jaw according to claim 6, wherein said jaw means includes means defining a recess therein, said abutment means projecting into said recess means at the forward end of said jaw means.
 8. A front jaw according to claim 7, wherein said resilient means engages said lever means adjacent one stop means. 